Advanced Practice 4Q09 by Richard Pavlicek

Combining Your Chances (3)

Arrange a deck of cards and play out each deal as shown.

1. 3 NT by South

None Vul
A 6
K Q J
A Q 8 6 2
K 9 2
K J 10 9 3
6 2
J 10
A 8 4 3 [W - E] 5 4 2
8 7 5
K 9 7
Q 7 6 5
Lead: J Q 8 7
A 10 9 4 3
5 4 3
J 10

West

1
Pass
Pass North
1
2
3 NT East
Pass
Pass
Pass South
1
2 NT
Pass

Top Tricks: 7

Trick
1. W
2. S
3. N
4. N
5. N Lead
J
J!
K
Q
J 2nd
6
4
5
7
8 3rd
2
K!
3
4
A 4th
Q
7
6
2
3
Cash 4 more winners — Made 3 — N-S +400

Bidding: Cue-bid general force
Choose best game
Play: Combine chances
Placing enemy cards
South succeeds if West
has A or K

Return to Main

2. 3 NT by East

N-S Vul
9 8 2
Q 10 4 3
Q 10 9 8
9 8
A 5
A K J 8
7 5 3 2
7 3 2 [W - E] K J 6
7 6 5
A K 4
A J 10 4
Lead: 4 Q 10 7 4 3
9 2
J 6
K Q 6 5

West

2
3 NT North

Pass
Pass East
1 NT
2
Pass South
Pass
Pass
Pass

Top Tricks: 8

Trick
1. S
2. E
3. W
4. S
5. W
6. S
7. E
8. W
9. E
10. E Lead
4
5
2
3
3
Q
4!
3
A
7 2nd
5
2
9
A
8
2
5
9
6
9 3rd
8
K!
10
2
J
9
7
A
5
J 4th
J
4
Q
6
K
K
8
6
3
Q
Win the rest — Made 4 — E-W +430

Bidding: Stayman convention
Play: Avoidance finesse
Watch spot cards
Finesse early while
South is safe

Return to Main

3. 4 by North

E-W Vul
K 4 3
K Q J 9 8 3 2
K 10 9
—
Q J 10
4
Q 8 7 6
A J 8 7 5 [W - E] A 9 8 7
7 6
J 5
K Q 10 9 4
Lead: K 6 5 2
A 10 5
A 4 3 2
6 3 2

West

Pass
Pass North

4 East

Pass South
Pass
Pass

Top Tricks: 9

Trick
1. E
2. N
3. S
4. E
5. S
6. N
7. N
8. S
9. S Lead
K
J
2!
7!
3
K
3
A
2 2nd
2
6
6
10
7
7
4
Q
Q 3rd
8
A
10
5
9!
4
5
3
K 4th
2
4
J
8
5
8
7
9
A
Lose 1 more trick — Made 4 — N-S +420

Bidding: Third seat strategy
Choose weak opening
Play: Avoidance finesse
Create extra entry
North succeeds if West
has J, Q or A

Return to Main

4. 6 by West

Both Vul
10 8 7 6
6 3
Q J 10 7
K J 8
Q 3
Q J 5 4
A 5 2
A Q 6 4 [W - E] A J 9 4
A K 10 9 8 7
4 3
2
Lead: Q K 5 2
2
K 9 8 6
10 9 7 5 3

West
1 NT
2
4
Pass North
Pass
Pass
Pass
Pass East
2
4
6 South
Pass
Pass
Pass

Top Tricks: 9

Trick
1. N
2. W
3. W
4. E
5. W
6. E
7. W
8. W Lead
Q
A!
4
8
6
9
Q
Q 2nd
3
8
J
2
K
6
7
6 3rd
9
2
7
J
A
Q
4
4 4th
A
3
5
3
7
6
9
K
Claim the rest — Made 6 — E-W +1430

Bidding: Stayman convention
Gerber convention
Play: Combine chances
Use trumps as entries
Try to ruff out K
before finesse

Return to Main

None Vul	A 6 K Q J A Q 8 6 2 K 9 2
K J 10 9 3 6 2 J 10 A 8 4 3		5 4 2 8 7 5 K 9 7 Q 7 6 5
Lead: J	Q 8 7 A 10 9 4 3 5 4 3 J 10

Bidding:	Cue-bid general force
	Choose best game
Play:	Combine chances
	Placing enemy cards
	South succeeds if West
	has A or K

N-S Vul	9 8 2 Q 10 4 3 Q 10 9 8 9 8
A 5 A K J 8 7 5 3 2 7 3 2		K J 6 7 6 5 A K 4 A J 10 4
Lead: 4	Q 10 7 4 3 9 2 J 6 K Q 6 5

Bidding:	Stayman convention
Play:	Avoidance finesse
	Watch spot cards
	Finesse early while
	South is safe

E-W Vul	K 4 3 K Q J 9 8 3 2 K 10 9 —
Q J 10 4 Q 8 7 6 A J 8 7 5		A 9 8 7 7 6 J 5 K Q 10 9 4
Lead: K	6 5 2 A 10 5 A 4 3 2 6 3 2

Bidding:	Third seat strategy
	Choose weak opening
Play:	Avoidance finesse
	Create extra entry
	North succeeds if West
	has J, Q or A

Both Vul	10 8 7 6 6 3 Q J 10 7 K J 8
Q 3 Q J 5 4 A 5 2 A Q 6 4		A J 9 4 A K 10 9 8 7 4 3 2
Lead: Q	K 5 2 2 K 9 8 6 10 9 7 5 3

Bidding:	Stayman convention
	Gerber convention
Play:	Combine chances
	Use trumps as entries
	Try to ruff out K
	before finesse